Exercise 10. Read the following dialogue. Then write a short memo to a colleague telling her what you have discussed

A: A problem has arisen over the travel arrangements to Switzerland.

B: Really? What's that?

A: The airline has raised its fares by 20 per cent so we're above the budget agreed.

B: Really? Well the problem lies in the budget being too small! We have rising costs and a budget that hasn't been raised in two years.

A: Could you get authorisation for the increased cost?

B: I'll send the Finance Department the details. I'll call you later.

MEMO

To: Finance Department

Re: Trip to Switzerland

UNIT 13. OFFICE DOCUMENTATION

Every business meeting is supplied with standard written documentation. All those papers will probably differ very little in various organizations. All the documents should be prepared beforehand to inform participants about the agenda of the meeting. It will help to save time at discussions and avoid unnecessary explanations. There are basic documents we are to prepare for the meeting: the notice,; the agenda, the minutes and meeting reports. The notice is prepared to inform people when and where the meeting will take place. If the notice is sent outside the organization it should be done about two weeks before the meeting and be sent to everyone whose presence is needed. If the date was fixed at the previous meeting then the reminder notice may be sent a week before the meeting. Inside the organization many meetings are held at a short notice. Each notice should contain the following information: the name of the organization, the place of the meeting, the date and the time of the meeting, the date of the notice and the signature of the person convening the meeting. The agenda is the programme of items to be discussed at the meeting in the order in which they will be taken. The order of items is very important. Urgent matters should be introduced earlier. Controversial items, which need long discussions, should be pushed to the end of the meeting. The agenda shouldn't be overloaded with more items than can be covered in the time available. Try to avoid meaningless headings for the agenda, it may lead to misinterpreting them and makes participants prepare themselves to talk on wrong subjects. Sometimes supplementary documents, agenda papers are needed for participants of the meeting. If participants are able to prepare for discussions, the decision-making at the meeting may be speeded up. The minutes must be short but give sufficient information to enable someone not present at the meeting to understand fully what took place. They must be written in complete sentences and produce the whole contents of the meeting and a logical account of every speech.

Meeting reports are usually much shorter than minutes. They are often used for display on a bulletin board. The meeting report should have clear heading and indicate the names of people having reported.

EXERCISES

Exercise 1. Translate into Russian

To be supplied with; written documentation; to be prepared beforehand; participants; the agenda of the meeting; to avoid unnecessary explanations; minutes; to take place; outside the organization; whose presence is needed; the date is fixed; the previous meeting; the reminder notice; inside of the organization; contain; the person convening the meeting; items to be discussed; the order in which they will be taken; urgent matters; to be introduced earlier; controversial items; to be pushed to the end; to be overloaded; the time available; meaningless headings; misinterpreting; wrong subjects; supplementary documents; agenda papers; decision-making discussion; the meeting will be speeded; sufficient information; understand fully; in complete sentences; produce the whole contents; logical account; display on a bulletin board; indicate the names of people reported.